Communicating with a user external to a virtual conference

ABSTRACT

Aspects of the present disclosure involve a system comprising a computer-readable storage medium storing a program and method for communicating with a user external to a virtual conference. The program and method provide, in association with designing a room for virtual conferencing, an interface for configuring an external communication element to communicate with an external user; receive, via the interface, an indication of first user input for setting properties for the external communication element; provide, in association with virtual conferencing for the room, the external communication element in the room based on the properties; receive an indication of second user input selecting the external communication element; and provide, in response to receiving indication of the second user input, for communication with the external user based on the properties.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This patent application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional PatentApplication No. 63/168,097, filed Mar. 30, 2021, entitled “COMMUNICATINGWITH A USER EXTERNAL TO A VIRTUAL CONFERENCE”, which is incorporated byreference herein in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates generally to virtual conferencingsystems, including communicating with a user external to a virtualconference.

BACKGROUND

A virtual conferencing system provides for the reception andtransmission of audio and video data between devices, for communicationbetween device users in real-time.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, like numeralsmay describe similar components in different views. To easily identifythe discussion of any particular element or act, the most significantdigit or digits in a reference number refer to the figure number inwhich that element is first introduced. Some nonlimiting examples areillustrated in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic representation of a networked environment inwhich the present disclosure may be deployed, in accordance with someexamples.

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic representation of a virtual conferencingsystem, in accordance with some examples, that has both client-side andserver-side functionality.

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic representation of a data structure asmaintained in a database, in accordance with some examples.

FIG. 4 illustrates a virtual space design interface with interfaceelements for designing a virtual space, in accordance with some exampleembodiments.

FIG. 5 illustrates a virtual space navigation interface with interfaceelements to navigate between the rooms of a virtual space and toparticipate in virtual conferencing with respect to the rooms, inaccordance with some example embodiments.

FIG. 6 is an interaction diagram illustrating a process forcommunicating with a user external to a virtual conference, inaccordance with some example embodiments.

FIG. 7 illustrates a current room interface with an externalcommunication element which is selectable to communicate with anexternal user, in accordance with some example embodiments.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating a process for communicating with auser external to a virtual conference, in accordance with some exampleembodiments.

FIG. 9 is a diagrammatic representation of a machine in the form of acomputer system within which a set of instructions may be executed forcausing the machine to perform any one or more of the methodologiesdiscussed herein, in accordance with some examples.

FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing a software architecture within whichexamples may be implemented.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A virtual conferencing system provides for the reception andtransmission of audio and video data between devices, for communicationbetween device users in real-time. The virtual conferencing system asdescribed herein allows a user to design or select a virtual space withone or more rooms for real-time communication. A given room may includedifferent elements, such as an external communication element configuredto communicate with a user external to a virtual conference within aroom.

The disclosed embodiments provide for a user, in designing a room forvirtual conferencing, to position and/or size an external communicationelement within the room. For example, the external communication elementis depicted as a doorbell. The doorbell is selectable by a participant,during virtual conferencing, to initiate communication (e.g., send atext message, initiate a phone call) with a predefined external user,for example, using a phone number or an email address of the externaluser.

By virtue of allowing a user to customize an external communicationelement for communicating with an external user, it is possible forparticipants of a virtual conference to contact users who are externalto the virtual conference, thereby expanding communication channels withrespect to the virtual conference.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example virtual conferencing system100 for exchanging data over a network. The virtual conferencing system100 includes multiple instances of a client device 102, each of whichhosts a number of applications, including a virtual conference client104 and other application(s) 106. Each virtual conference client 104 iscommunicatively coupled to other instances of the virtual conferenceclient 104 (e.g., hosted on respective other client devices 102), avirtual conference server system 108 and third-party servers 110 via anetwork 112 (e.g., the Internet). A virtual conference client 104 canalso communicate with locally-hosted applications 106 using ApplicationsProgram interfaces (APIs).

The virtual conferencing system 100 provides for the reception andtransmission of audio, video, image, text and/or other signals by userdevices (e.g., at different locations), for communication between usersin real-time. In some cases, two users may utilize virtual conferencingto communicate with each other in one-to-one communication at theirrespective devices. In other cases, multiway virtual conferencing may beutilized by more than two users to participate in a real-time, groupconversation. Thus, multiple client devices 102 may participate invirtual conferencing, for example, with the client devices 102participating in a group conversation in which audio-video contentstreams and/or message content (e.g., text, images) are transmittedbetween the participant devices.

A virtual conference client 104 is able to communicate and exchange datawith other virtual conference clients 104 and with the virtualconference server system 108 via the network 112. The data exchangedbetween virtual conference clients 104, and between a virtual conferenceclient 104 and the virtual conference server system 108, includesfunctions (e.g., commands to invoke functions) as well as payload data(e.g., video, audio, other multimedia data, text).

The virtual conference server system 108 provides server-sidefunctionality via the network 112 to a particular virtual conferenceclient 104. For example, with respect to transmitting audio and/or videostreams, the virtual conference client 104 (e.g., installed on a firstclient device 102) may facilitate in transmitting streaming content tothe virtual conference server system 108 for subsequent receipt by otherparticipant devices (e.g., one or more second client devices 102)running respective instances of the virtual conference client 104.

The streaming content can correspond to audio and/or video contentcaptured by sensors (e.g., microphones, video cameras) on the clientdevices 102, for example, corresponding to real-time video and/or audiocapture of the users (e.g., faces) and/or other sights and soundscaptured by the respective device. The streaming content may besupplemented with other audio/visual data (e.g., animations, overlays,emoticons and the like) and/or message content (e.g., text, stickers,emojis, other image/video data), for example, in conjunction withextension applications and/or widgets associated with the virtualconference client 104.

While certain functions of the virtual conferencing system 100 aredescribed herein as being performed by either a virtual conferenceclient 104 or by the virtual conference server system 108, the locationof certain functionality either within the virtual conference client 104or the virtual conference server system 108 may be a design choice. Forexample, it may be technically preferable to initially deploy certaintechnology and functionality within the virtual conference server system108 but to later migrate this technology and functionality to thevirtual conference client 104 where a client device 102 has sufficientprocessing capacity.

The virtual conference server system 108 supports various services andoperations that are provided to the virtual conference client 104. Suchoperations include transmitting data to, receiving data from, andprocessing data generated by the virtual conference client 104. Thisdata may include the above-mentioned streaming content and/or messagecontent, client device information, and social network information, asexamples. Data exchanges within the virtual conferencing system 100 areinvoked and controlled through functions available via user interfaces(UIs) of the virtual conference client 104.

Turning now specifically to the virtual conference server system 108, anApplication Program Interface (API) server 114 is coupled to, andprovides a programmatic interface to, application servers 118. Theapplication servers 118 are communicatively coupled to a database server124, which facilitates access to a database 126 that stores dataassociated with virtual conference content processed by the applicationservers 118. Similarly, a web server 116 is coupled to the applicationservers 118, and provides web-based interfaces to the applicationservers 118. To this end, the web server 116 processes incoming networkrequests over the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) and several otherrelated protocols.

The Application Program Interface (API) server 114 receives andtransmits virtual conference data (e.g., commands, audio/video payloads)between the client device 102 and the application servers 118.Specifically, the Application Program interface (API) server 114provides a set of interfaces (e.g., routines and protocols) that can becalled or queried by the virtual conference client 104 in order toinvoke functionality of the application servers 118. The ApplicationProgram Interface (API) server 114 exposes various functions supportedby the application servers 118, including account registration, loginfunctionality, the streaming of audio and/or video content, and/or thesending and retrieval of message content, via the application servers118, from a particular virtual conference client 104 to another virtualconference client 104, the retrieval of a list of contacts of a user ofa client device 102, the addition and deletion of users (e.g.,contacts)) to a user graph (e.g., a social graph), and opening anapplication event (e.g., relating to the virtual conference client 104).

The application servers 118 host a number of server applications andsubsystems, including for example a virtual conference server 120 and asocial network server 122. The virtual conference server 120 implementsa number of virtual conference processing technologies and functions,particularly related to the aggregation and other processing of content(e.g., streaming content) included in audio-video feeds received frommultiple instances of the virtual conference client 104. Other processorand memory intensive processing of data may also be performedserver-side by the virtual conference server 120, in view of thehardware requirements for such processing.

In one or more embodiments, the third-party server 110 provides forinitiating communication between a user at the virtual conference client104 of the client device 102 and a user external to the virtualconference server system 108. For example, the third-party server 110may correspond to a cloud-based service which allows forprogrammatically making phone calls, receiving phone calls, sending textmessages, receiving text messages and/or performing other communicationfunctions using web service APIs.

The social network server 122 supports various social networkingfunctions and services and makes these functions and services availableto the virtual conference server 120. To this end, the social networkserver 122 maintains and accesses a user graph 304 (as shown in FIG. 3 )within the database 126. Examples of functions and services supported bythe social network server 122 include the identification of other usersof the virtual conferencing system 100 with which a particular user hasrelationships (e.g., contacts such as friends, colleagues, teachers,students, and the like).

In one or more embodiments, a user interacting via the virtualconference client 104 running on a first client device 102 may selectand invite participant(s) to a virtual conference. For example, theparticipants may be selected from contacts maintained by the socialnetwork server 122. In another example, the participants may be selectedfrom contacts included within a contact address hook stored inassociation with the first client device 102 (e.g., in local memory orin a cloud-based user account). In another example, the participants maybe selected by the user manually entering email addresses and/or phonenumbers of the participants.

The user at the first client device 102 may initiate the virtualconference by selecting an appropriate user interface element providedby the virtual conference client 104, thereby prompting the invitedparticipants, at their respective devices (e.g., one or more secondclient devices 102), to accept or decline participation in the virtualconference. When the participant(s) have accepted the invitation (e.g.,via the prompt), the virtual conference server system 108 may perform aninitialization procedure in which session information is publishedbetween the participant client devices 102, including the user whoprovided the invite. Each of the participant client devices 102 mayprovide respective session information to the virtual conference serversystem 108, which in turn publishes the session information to the otherparticipant client devices 102. The session information for each clientdevice 102 may include content stream(s) and/or message content that ismade available by the client device 102, together with respectiveidentifiers for the content stream(s) and/or message content.

As described below with respect to FIG. 2 , the virtual conference maycorrespond to a virtual space which includes one or more rooms (e.g.,virtual rooms). The virtual space and its corresponding rooms may havebeen created at least in part by the inviting user and/or by otherusers. In this manner, an end user may act as an administrator, whocreates their own virtual spaces with rooms, and/or designs a virtualspace based on preset available rooms.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating further details regarding thevirtual conferencing system 100, according to some examples.Specifically, the virtual conferencing system 100 is shown to comprisethe virtual conference client 104 and the application servers 118. Thevirtual conferencing system 100 embodies a number of subsystems, whichare supported on the client-side by the virtual conference client 104and on the server-side by the application servers 118. These subsystemsinclude, for example, a virtual space creation system 202 whichimplements a virtual space design interface 204, and a virtual spaceparticipation system 206 which implements a virtual space navigationinterface 208.

The virtual space creation system 202 provides for a user to design oneor more virtual space(s) in which participants may engage in virtualconferencing. In one or more embodiments, a virtual space corresponds toan environment with one or more rooms configured to accommodate virtualconferencing.

The virtual space may be created and/or selected (e.g., from among a setof predefined virtual spaces with rooms) by an end user who wishes toinvite other users for virtual conferencing. In addition, the individualrooms of a virtual space may be newly-created and/or selected (e.g.,from among a set of predefined rooms) by the end user. In one or moreembodiments, the virtual space creation system 202 includes a virtualspace design interface 204, which is usable by the end user to design avirtual space, including creating and/or selecting rooms for includingin the virtual space.

As discussed below with respect to FIG. 4 , the virtual space designinterface 204 enables an end user (e.g., an administrator) to selectand/or position multiple elements for including in a room. Examples ofelements include, but are not limited to, participant video elements(e.g., for displaying the respective video feeds of participants), chatinterfaces (e.g., for participants to provide text-based messages,stickers and/or reactions within a room), breakout buttons (e.g., forshuffling from a first room to one or more second rooms), and/or otheruser-definable elements for performing certain actions (e.g., speakinginto a virtual microphone, querying an administrator via a button, andthe like).

The virtual space participation system 206 is configured to performvirtual conferencing among participants within a virtual space. Theparticipants may include the end user (e.g., administrator) who createdthe virtual space, as well as those users who were invited toparticipate in virtual conferencing with respect to the virtual spacecreated/selected by the end user. The virtual space participation system206 includes a virtual space navigation interface 208 (e.g., discussedbelow with respect to FIG. 5 ) that allows participants to navigatebetween the rooms of a virtual space, and to participate in virtualconferencing with respect to the rooms.

In one or more embodiments, the virtual space creation system 202 andthe virtual space participation system 206 provide for an end user(e.g., an administrator) to create different types of environments(e.g., virtual spaces with rooms) for virtual conferencing, and forparticipants to engage in virtual conferencing within such environments.Examples of such virtual conferencing include, but are not limited to:business meetings, seminars, presentations, classroom lectures, teacheroffice hours, concerts, reunions, virtual dinners, escape rooms, and thelike.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating data structures 300, whichmay be stored in the database 126 of the virtual conference serversystem 108, according to certain examples. While the content of thedatabase 126 is shown to comprise a number of tables, it will beappreciated that the data could be stored in other types of datastructures (e.g., as an object-oriented database).

The database 126 includes profile data 302, a user graph 304 and a usertable 306 relating to the users (participants) of the virtualconferencing system 100. The user table 306 stores user data, and islinked (e.g., referentially) to the user graph 304 and the profile data302. Each user of the virtual conferencing system 100 is associated witha unique identifier (email address, telephone number, social networkidentifier, etc.).

The user graph 304 stores (e.g., in conjunction with the social networkserver 122) information regarding relationships and associations betweenusers. Such relationships may be social, professional (e.g., work at acommon corporation or organization) interested-based or activity-based,merely for example. As noted above, the user graph 304 may be maintainedand accessed at least in part by the social network server 122.

The profile data 302 stores multiple types of profile data about aparticular user. The profile data 302 may be selectively used andpresented to other users of the virtual conferencing system 100, basedon privacy settings specified by a particular user. The profile data 302includes, for example, a user name, telephone number, email address,and/or settings (e.g., notification and privacy settings), as well as auser-selected avatar representation.

The database 126 further includes a virtual spaces table 308. As notedabove, a virtual space corresponds to an environment with one or morerooms configured to accommodate virtual conferencing. A virtual spacemay be newly-created by a user, or may be included within one or moresets of public virtual spaces made available (e.g., by other users,system administrators, and the like) for virtual conferencing. Thevirtual spaces table 308 stores information representing the one or moresets of public virtual spaces, as well as any private virtual space(s)created by a user (e.g., in a case where the particular user did notmake such virtual space(s) public).

In one or more embodiments, the virtual spaces table 308 storesassociations between its virtual spaces and users (e.g., within the usertable 306) who selected those virtual spaces. In this manner, it ispossible for a particular user to have one or more virtual spacesassociated therewith. Moreover, the database 126 includes a rooms table310 which may be associated with the virtual spaces within the virtualspaces table 308. As noted above, a room may be newly-created by a user,or may be included within one or more sets (e.g., galleries) of publicrooms made available for user selection. The rooms table 310 storesinformation representing the one or more sets of rooms, as well as anyprivate rooms) created by the user (e.g., in a case where the particularuser did not make such room(s) public). The stored information is usableby the virtual conferencing system 100 to create the corresponding roomsfor use in a virtual space. In one or more embodiments, the storedinformation may further include recordings (e.g., audio and/or videorecordings) of a particular virtual conference, for subsequent playbackby corresponding participants.

FIG. 4 illustrates a virtual space design interface 204 with interfaceelements for designing a virtual space, in accordance with some exampleembodiments. Designing the virtual space may include creation and/orselection of rooms for including in the virtual space. The virtual spacedesign interface 204 includes a menu interface 402, a room elementsinterface 404, an element properties interface 406, a controls interface408, a room list interface 410, a room canvas interface 412, and anadministrator name 414. It is noted that elements 402-414 correspond toan example of interface elements for the virtual space design interface204, and that additional, fewer and/or different interface elements maybe used.

An administrator (e.g., corresponding to administrator name 414) may usethe various interface elements to design a virtual space. In one or moreembodiments, the menu interface 402 includes user-selectable categories(e.g., menu headings) relating to a virtual space (e.g., “workspace”),rooms within the virtual space, and/or elements within a room. Forexample, the workspace category is user-selectable for presentingoptions (e.g., via a drop-down list) to manage settings for the virtualspace, manage invites for the virtual space, manage versions of avirtual space, publish the virtual space (e.g., for future use byusers), manage virtual space publications, and/or to start/manage:recordings (e.g., audio and/or video recordings) with respect to thevirtual space.

The room category of the menu interface 402 is user-selectable forpresenting options (e.g., via a drop-down list) to manage settings for aroom within the virtual space, set a room background, set an order forthe rooms listed in the room list interface 410, create a new room,import a room from a set of available rooms, remove a room, publish aroom, manage room publications, and/or to start/manage recordings withrespect to a room.

In addition, the element category is user-selectable for presentingoptions (e.g., via a drop-down list) to insert elements into a room,insert shapes into a room, foreground/background elements,arrange/position elements, and/or group elements. Examples of elementsinclude, but are not limited to: an action button, analog clock,audience question board, backpack item, breakout button, chat, closedcaption display, closed caption input, countdown, clock, digital clock,external communication element (e.g., a doorbell) as discussed furtherbelow with respect to FIGS. 6-8 , double-sided image, feedback, image,multiuser video chat, music, participant audio mixer, participant count,participant video element (e.g., single or multiple), picture strip,poll, random source, room preview, scheduled time, sound effect,stopwatch, take picture, text, timer, user search, video, waiting list,web media, website. Examples of shapes include, but are not limited to,a circle, rectangle and triangle.

The users category of the menu interface 402 is user-selectable forpresenting options (e.g., via a drop-down list) to manageusers/participants of the virtual space (e.g., adding tags forparticipants, so as to distinguish between roles such as anadministrator or an attendee/participant). In addition, the editcategory is user-selectable for performing edit operations (e.g., undo,redo, cut, copy, paste), and the help category is user-selectable forperforming help operations (e.g., getting started, discord, live help,submitting feedback).

In one or more embodiments, the room elements interface 404 includesuser-selectable icons for inserting elements (e.g., corresponding to asubset of those available via the above-mentioned element category) intoa current room. For example, the elements may be added and/or positionedwithin the current room by selecting the element and dragging theselected element onto the room canvas interface 412, which representsthe layout of the current room.

In one or more embodiments, the room elements interface 404 includeicons including but not limited to: a text icon for adding text to aroom; a participant video icon for adding a single participant videoelement (e.g., an interface element which is selectable by a singleparticipant for displaying that participant's video feed) to a room; amultiuser video icon for adding a multiple participant video element(e.g., an interface element which is selectable by one or moreparticipants for displaying the video feeds for those participants) to aroom; a chat icon for adding a chat interface (e.g., for messaging usingtext, stickers, emojis, etc.) to a room; a video playback icon foradding a video playback element (e.g., screen) to a room for playback ofa selected video; a background icon for selecting a backgroundcolor/gradient, image or video to a room; an action icon for adding anaction element (e.g., button) to a room for performing a user-definedaction (e.g., speaking into a virtual microphone, querying anadministrator via a button, and the like); and/or a breakout button foradding a breakout element (e.g., button) for shuffling selectedparticipants between the current room and one or more other rooms.

In one or more embodiments, the element properties interface 406 includevarious fields for setting configuration properties for above-describedroom elements. For example, with respect to elements in general (e.g.,text, single participant video element, multi participant video element,chat interface, video element, background image, action element,breakout button), the element properties interface 406 includes fieldsfor setting the element title/name, opacity, gradient, style, layout,borders/corners, shadows, interaction (e.g., to what extentparticipant(s) may delete, modify, resize the element), filtering, fullscreen status, conditions, accessibility and actions for the element.

For a participant video element, the element properties interface 406includes further fields for setting the manner in which users are placedinto the participant video element during virtual conferencing (e.g.,automatically, manually by the participant and/or the administrator enduser). In addition, for the chat interface, the element propertiesinterface 406 includes further properties for setting who (e.g.,administrator and/or participants) can provide chat input, and/or whichtypes of input (e.g., text, stickers, emojis, etc.) are available. Forthe action element, the element properties interface 406 includesfurther properties for setting what type of action is to be performed inresponse to user selection of the action element (e.g., button).Moreover, for the breakout element, the element properties interface 406includes further properties for selecting participants and/or breakoutrooms.

In one or more embodiments, the element properties interface 406 furtherincludes fields for setting configuration properties for the room canvasinterface 412. For example, the element properties interface 406includes fields for selecting a number of fake participants (e.g.,simulated video feeds) in order to visualize multiple users, selectingmusic (e.g., background music), and/or selecting reaction buttons forparticipants to indicate real-time reactions with respect to virtualconferencing within a room.

In one or more embodiments, the controls interface 408 includesuser-selectable icons corresponding to controls (e.g., administrativecontrols) for the virtual space. For example, the controls interface 408include icons including but not limited to: a director mode icon fortoggling between a director mode for designing a room and a user modefor viewing the room within the virtual space design interface 204(e.g., with the director mode including the room elements interface 404and the element properties interface 406 while the user mode does not);a view icon for viewing the room within the virtual space navigationinterface 208; a share screen icon (e.g., for collaborative design withother user(s) such as co-administrators); a microphone icon for enablingor disabling the microphone; a help icon (e.g., getting started,discord, live help, submitting feedback); an invite icon (e.g., fordisplaying an invite link for sending to participants to visit thevirtual space); a settings icon (e.g., for selecting the end user'svideo and audio devices for the virtual conferencing, and for selectinga user avatar); and/or an exit icon for exiting the virtual space designinterface 204.

In one or more embodiments, the room list interface 410 displays thelist of rooms for the virtual space. Each listed room is user selectableto switch to edit (e.g., in director mode) and/or view (e.g., in usermode) the selected room. As noted above, the list of rooms may bemodified (e.g., by adding, importing and/or removing rooms) via theoptions within the room category of the menu interface 402.

FIG. 5 illustrates a virtual space navigation interface 208 withinterface elements to navigate between the rooms of a virtual space andto participate in virtual conferencing with respect to the rooms, inaccordance with some example embodiments. The virtual space navigationinterface 208 includes a controls interface 502, a room list interface504, a current room interface 506, a participant video element 508 and aparticipant video element 510. It is noted that elements 502-512correspond to an example of interface elements for the virtual spacenavigation interface 208, and that additional, fewer and/or differentinterface elements may be used.

In one or more embodiments, the controls interface 502 includesuser-selectable icons corresponding to controls (e.g., administrativecontrols) for the virtual space. For example, the controls interface 408include icons including but not limited to: an edit icon for redirectingto the virtual space design interface 204 to edit the current room; avolume icon for adjusting a volume level for the current room; a sharescreen icon (e.g., for allowing others to view the room withoutnecessarily joining the room); a microphone icon for muting and unmutingthe microphone; a help icon (e.g., getting started, discord, live help,submitting feedback); an invite icon (e.g., for displaying an invitelink for participants to visit the virtual space); a settings icon(e.g., for selecting the end user's video and audio devices for thevirtual conferencing, and for selecting a user avatar); and/or an exiticon for exiting the virtual space design interface 204.

In one or more embodiments, the room list interface 504 displays thelist of rooms for the virtual space. Each listed room is user selectableto switch to the selected room (e.g., for virtual conferencing). Theselected room is presented as a current room within the current roominterface 506. In this manner, a participant may navigate among themultiple rooms available within the virtual space. Alternatively or inaddition, navigation between rooms is possible via a virtual space mapinterface (not shown) which depicts a map view of the virtual space(e.g., a floor plan) and its corresponding rooms, with each room beinguser selectable to navigate thereto. Alternatively or in addition,navigation between rooms is further possible by positioning a navigationbutton (not shown) within a room, where user selection of the buttonresults in navigating to another room (e.g., a predefined room). Asnoted above, the virtual space design interface 204 allows for thedesign of a virtual space and its corresponding rooms. As such,navigation between rooms is based at least in part on the design of thevirtual space (e.g., a virtual space may include one or more of theabove-mentioned room list interface 504, the virtual space map/floorplan interface and/or the navigation button).

With respect to the current room interface 506, each participant isrepresented as a respective participant video element. As noted above, aparticipant video element corresponds to an interface element (e.g., abox) which is selectable by a single participant for displaying thatparticipant's video feed. The example of FIG. 5 includes a firstparticipant associated with the participant video element 508 and asecond participant associated with the participant video element 510. Inone or more embodiments, with respect to the perspective of the firstparticipant, the participant video element 510 showing the feed of thesecond participant may include participant button(s) 512. For example,the participant button(s) 512 are selectable by the first participant soas to perform a predefined action (e.g., initiate a side conversation,designate the second participant to follow the first participant whenthe first participant moves rooms) with respect to the secondparticipant.

While the example of FIG. 5 illustrates two participants, it is possiblefor the current room interface 506 to accommodate additionalparticipants for virtual conferencing. The additional participants maybe positioned (e.g., automatically and/or manually by dragging) based onthe positioning of participant video elements (e.g., boxes) as designedby the virtual space design interface 204.

In one or more embodiments, the virtual space navigation interface 208may vary based on whether a given participant is an administrator oranother participant (e.g., an attendee). For example, some participantvideo elements may be designated (e.g., via the virtual space designinterface 204) for administrators, while other participant videoelements are designated for other participants. The virtual conferenceserver system 108 is configured to distinguish between theseadministrator or other participant roles, for example, based on theabove-described tags assigned to participants via the users category ofthe menu interface 402 provided by the virtual space design interface204.

FIG. 6 is an interaction diagram illustrating a process 600 forcommunicating with a user external to a virtual conference, inaccordance with some example embodiments. For explanatory purposes, theprocess 600 is described herein with reference to a first client device602, a second client device 604, the virtual conference server system108, and the third-party server 110. Each of the first client device 602and the second client device 604 may correspond to a respective clientdevice 102. The process 600 is not limited to the first client device602, the second client device 604, the virtual conference server system108 and the third-party server 110. Moreover, one or more blocks (oroperations) of the process 600 may be performed by one or more othercomponents of the first client device 602, the second client device 604,the virtual conference server system 108, or the third-party server 110,and/or by other suitable devices. Further for explanatory purposes, theblocks (or operations) of the process 600 are described herein asoccurring in serial, or linearly. However, multiple blocks (oroperations) of the process 600 may occur in parallel or concurrently. Inaddition, the blocks (or operations) of the process 600 need not beperformed in the order shown and/or one or more blocks (or operations)of the process 600 need not be performed and/or can be replaced by otheroperations. The process 600 may be terminated when its operations arecompleted. In addition, the process 600 may correspond to a method, aprocedure, an algorithm, etc.

Each of the first client device 602 and the second client device 604have instances of the virtual conference client 104 installed thereon.In the example of FIG. 6 , the first client device 602 and the secondclient device 604 are associated with a respective first participant andsecond participant of the virtual conference server system 108. Forexample, the first participant may be associated with a first useraccount of the virtual conference server system 108, and the secondparticipant may be associated with a second user account of the virtualconference server system 108.

As noted above, the first participant and second participant areidentifiable by the virtual conference server system 108 based on uniqueidentifiers (e.g., email addresses, telephone numbers) associated withrespective user accounts for the first participant and secondparticipant. In one or more embodiments, the virtual conference serversystem 108 implements and/or works in conjunction with a social networkserver 122 which is configured to identify contacts with which aparticular user has relationships. For example, the first participantand second participant may be contacts with respect to the virtualconference server system 108.

As described herein, the virtual conferencing system 100 provides for auser (e.g., an administrator) to configure an external communicationelement within the room. During virtual conferencing, the externalcommunication element is selectable by a participant within the room tocommunicate (e.g., by sending a text message, initiating a call, and thelike) with a user external to the room.

In the example of FIG. 6 , operations 606-612 may correspond to a firstphase (e.g., a “design phase”) and operations 616-624 may correspond toa second phase (e.g., a “virtual conferencing phase”). During the designphase, a user (e.g., administrator) provides input for settingproperties (e.g., size, shape, position, type of communication, externaluser identifier) for the external communication element, as well as forother elements in the room. During the virtual conferencing phase, theexternal communication element is displayed based on its respectiveproperties, and is selectable for initiating communication with thespecified external user. It may be understood that the second phase mayoccur shortly after the first phase, or after an extended period of timeafter the first phase. As such, FIG. 6 includes a dashed line separatingthe first phase and the second phase for illustrative purposes.

At operation 606, the virtual conference server system 108 provides aninterface configuring an external communication element within a room.The first client device 602 may correspond to an administrator whodesigns the room.

As noted above, the virtual space design interface 204 includes a menuinterface 402, which in turn includes the element category. The elementcategory includes multiple elements for adding to a room, including theexternal communication element (e.g., or doorbell button). Moreover, thevirtual space design interface 204 includes the element propertiesinterface 406 which has various fields for setting configurationproperties for the external communication element. For example, theelement properties interface 406 in conjunction with the virtual spacedesign interface 204 provides for configuring the icon (e.g., a doorbellimage, a phone image), position, shape and/or size for the externalcommunication element.

In one or more embodiments, the element properties interface 406includes a field associated with the external communication element, forsetting a phone number, email address and/or other contact means bywhich to identify and contact an external user. The element propertiesinterface 406 further includes a field associated with the externalcommunication element for specifying which participant actions willtrigger initiating communication (e.g., a text, a call, or the like)with the external user. Examples of actions include user selection ofthe external communication element (e.g., a press gesture) and/or aparticipant simply entering the room. In addition, the elementproperties interface 406 includes fields for setting the title/name,opacity, gradient, style, layout, borders/corners, shadows, interaction(e.g., to what extent participant(s) may delete, modify, resize theelement), filtering, full screen status, conditions, accessibility andactions for the external communication element.

In one or more embodiments, the room canvas interface 412 of the virtualspace design interface 204 further provides for configuring propertiesof the external communication element. For example, a user mayreposition, reshape and/or resize the external communication element,using predefined user gestures (e.g., selecting and dragging theelement, edges/corners of the element, and the like) with respect toexternal communication element via the room canvas interface 412. Thevirtual space design interface 204 may cause user changes made to theexternal communication element via the room canvas interface 412 toautomatically update values within corresponding fields of the elementproperties interface 406.

As such, the virtual conference client 104 running on the virtualconference client 104 provides display of the virtual space designinterface 204, for setting properties of the external communicationelement, as well as setting properties for other room elements/objects(e.g., a room background, and other elements such as shapes, participantvideo feeds, and the like).

In the example of FIG. 6 , the first client device 602 receives userinput (e.g., by an administrator) for setting properties for theexternal communication element (block 608). The first client device 602sends an indication of the properties for the external communicationelement to the virtual conference server system 108 (operation 610). Forexample, values input by the user at the first client device 602, forthe various fields associated with the external communication element,are sent from the first client device 602 to the virtual conferenceserver system 108.

The virtual conference server system 108 stores the properties for theexternal communication element in association with the room (block 612).For example, the virtual conference server system 108 provides forstoring the properties (e.g., user-selected values for the variousfields) within the rooms table 310 of the database 126, in associationwith the room.

As noted above, operations 616-624 relate to a virtual conferencingphase, in which participant(s) engage in virtual conferencing within theroom. At operations 614-616, the virtual conference server system 108provides for display of the room, and presents the externalcommunication element based on its stored properties. For example, thisincludes presenting the external communication element based on its icon(e.g., doorbell icon), position, shape, size and/or effect as configuredby the user during design of the room.

The second client device 604 receives user selection, by a participantwithin the room, of the external communication element (block 618). Asnoted above, the external communication element may be configured (e.g.,during the design phase) to initiate communication with the externaluser in response to user selection by a participant within the room.Alternatively or in addition, the external communication element may beconfigured to initiate communication with the external user in responseto a participant (e.g., a new participant) entering the room.

In the example of FIG. 6 , the second participant may correspond to anattendee of the virtual conference, and the first participant maycorrespond to an administrator of the conference. In one or moreembodiments, the first participant may not actually join the virtualconference and may correspond to the external user linked (e.g., byphone number or email address) to the external communication element.

For example, the room may be designed as an on-line store, with thesecond participant corresponding to a potential patron and the firstparticipant corresponding to the store owner. In another example, theroom may be designed as office hours for a teacher (e.g., the firstparticipant) to address questions from student(s) (e.g., the secondparticipant(s)). In these examples, the first participant may not bepresent in the room, but are reachable via communication via theexternal communication element.

The second client device 604 sends an indication of the selection to thevirtual conference server system 108 (operation 620). In response, thevirtual conference server system 108 sends a request for externalcommunication to the third-party server 110 (operation 622). The requestmay include the phone number, email address, and/or other contact meansfor establishing contact with the external user. As noted above, theexternal user may correspond to the first participant (e.g.,administrator), who is not necessarily participating in the virtualconference within the room.

The third-party server 110 is configured to initiate communicationbetween the participant of a virtual conference and the user external tothe virtual conference server system 108. The third-party server 110 maycorrespond to a cloud-based service which allows for programmaticallyinitiating communication with an external user, such as by making phonecalls, receiving phone calls, sending text messages or instant messages,receiving text messages or instant messages and/or performing othercommunication functions using web service APIs. Thus, the third-partyserver 110 provides for the external communication to the external user(block 624).

In a case where the stored properties for the external communicationelement specify initiating a phone call, the third-party server 110provides for establishing a phone call between the participant whoselected the external communication element and the external user (e.g.,identified by phone number, email address, etc.). Alternatively or inaddition, in a case where the properties specify sending a text message,the third-party server 110 provides for sending a text message from thevirtual conference server system 108 to a device of the external userassociated with the corresponding phone number or other contact means(e.g., email address). In one or more embodiments, the text messageincludes content with one or more of the name of the virtualconferencing system 100, the room number, the name of the requestingparticipant, and/or a link for redirecting to the current virtualconference within the room.

Thus, the virtual conferencing system 100 as described herein allows auser, in designing a room for virtual conferencing, to position and/orsize an external communication element for communicating with externaluser(s). During virtual conferencing within the room, the externalcommunication element is selectable to initiate communication (e.g., atext message, a phone call) with the external user. Without allowing theuser (e.g., administrator) to configure a room in this manner,participants may otherwise be limited in contacting others (e.g., anadministrator, help desk, etc.) outside of the virtual conference. Thevirtual conferencing system 100 facilitates external communication withrespect to virtual conferencing, thereby saving time for the user, andreducing computational resources/processing power for the virtualconferencing system 100.

FIG. 7 illustrates a current room interface 700 with an externalcommunication element which is selectable to communicate with anexternal user, in accordance with some example embodiments. As notedabove, the current room interface 700 may be included within a virtualspace navigation interface 208 (e.g., per FIG. 5 ).

The example of FIG. 7 depicts an external communication element 702(e.g., depicted as a bell) positioned on a counter top depicted within aroom (e.g., as part of the background of the room). In one or moreembodiments, the external communication element 702 is assigned to acommunication means, such as a phone number or email address of anexternal user. In response to a predefined event (e.g., user press,participant entering the room) as configured during the design phase,the virtual conference server system 108 provides for communicating withthe external user (e.g., via text message, instant message, phone call)who is external to the virtual conference within the room.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating a process 800 for communicating witha user external to a virtual conference, in accordance with some exampleembodiments. For explanatory purposes, the process 800 is primarilydescribed herein with reference to the first client device 602, thesecond client device 604 and the virtual conference server system 108 ofFIG. 1 and FIG. 2 . However, one or more blocks (or operations) of theprocess 800 may be performed by one or more other components, and/or byother suitable devices. Further for explanatory purposes, the blocks (oroperations) of the process 800 are described herein as occurring inserial, or linearly. However, multiple blocks (or operations) of theprocess 800 may occur in parallel or concurrently. In addition, theblocks (or operations) of the process 800 need not be performed in theorder shown and/or one or more blocks (or operations) of the process 800need not be performed and/or can be replaced by other operations. Theprocess 800 may be terminated when its operations are completed. Inaddition, the process 800 may correspond to a method, a procedure, analgorithm, etc.

The virtual conference server system 108 provides, in association withdesigning a room for virtual conferencing, an interface for configuringan external communication element to communicate with an external user(block 802). The virtual conference server system 108 receives, via theinterface, first user input for setting properties for the externalcommunication element (block 804).

The properties for the external communication element may include aphone number. The virtual conference server system 108 may store theproperties for the external communication element in association withthe room.

The virtual conference server system 108 provides, in association withvirtual conferencing for the room, the external communication element inthe room based on the properties (block 806). The virtual conferenceserver system 108 may provide, for each of plural participants in theroom, display of a participant video element which corresponds to theparticipant and which includes a video feed for the participant.

The virtual conference server system 108 receives second user inputselecting the external communication element (block 808). The virtualconference server system 108 provides, in response to receiving thesecond user input, for communication with the external user based on theproperties (block 810).

Providing the communication with the external user may include sending atext message based on the phone number. The text message may include alink for navigating to the room to participate in the virtualconferencing. Alternatively or in addition, providing the communicationwith the external user may include initiating a phone call based on thephone number.

FIG. 9 is a diagrammatic representation of the machine 900 within whichinstructions 910 (e.g., software, a program, an application, an apples,an app, or other executable code) for causing the machine 900 to performany one or more of the methodologies discussed herein may be executed.For example, the instructions 910 may cause the machine 900 to executeany one or more of the methods described herein. The instructions 910transform the general, non-programmed machine 900 into a particularmachine 900 programmed to carry out the described and illustratedfunctions in the manner described. The machine 900 may operate as astandalone device or may be coupled (e.g., networked) to other machines.In a networked deployment, the machine 900 may operate in the capacityof a server machine or a client machine in a server-client networkenvironment, or as a peer machine in a peer-to-peer (or distributed)network environment. The machine 900 may comprise, but not be limitedto, a server computer, a client computer, a personal computer (PC), atablet computer, a laptop computer, a netbook, a set-top box (STB), apersonal digital assistant (PDA), an entertainment media system, acellular telephone, a smartphone, a mobile device, a wearable device(e.g., a smartwatch), a smart home device (e.g., a smart appliance),other smart devices, a web appliance, a network router, a networkswitch, a network bridge, or any machine capable of executing theinstructions 910, sequentially or otherwise, that specify actions to betaken by the machine 900. Further, while only a single machine 900 isillustrated, the term “machine” shall also be taken to include acollection of machines that individually or jointly execute theinstructions 910 to perform any one or more of the methodologiesdiscussed herein. The machine 900, for example, may comprise the clientdevice 102 or any one of a number of server devices forming part of thevirtual conference server system 108. In some examples, the machine 900may also comprise both client and server systems, with certainoperations of a particular method or algorithm being performed on theserver-side and with certain operations of the particular method oralgorithm being performed on the client-side.

The machine 900 may include processors 904, memory 906, and input/outputI/O components 902, which may be configured to communicate with eachother via a bus 940. In an example, the processors 904 (e.g., a CentralProcessing Unit (CPU), a Reduced Instruction Set Computing (RISC)Processor, a Complex Instruction Set Computing (CISC) Processor, aGraphics Processing Unit (GPU), a Digital Signal Processor (DSP), anApplication Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), a Radio-FrequencyIntegrated Circuit (RFIC), another processor, or any suitablecombination thereof) may include, for example, a processor 908 and aprocessor 912 that execute the instructions 910. The term “processor” isintended to include multi-core processors that may comprise two or moreindependent processors (sometimes referred to as “cores”) that mayexecute instructions contemporaneously. Although FIG. 9 shows multipleprocessors 904, the machine 900 may include a single processor with asingle-core, a single processor with multiple cores (e.g., a multi-coreprocessor), multiple processors with a single core, multiple processorswith multiples cores, or any combination thereof.

The memory 906 includes a main memory 914, a static memory 916, and astorage unit 918, both accessible to the processors 904 via the bus 940.The main memory 906, the static memory 916, and storage unit 918 storethe instructions 910 embodying any one or more of the methodologies orfunctions described herein. The instructions 910 may also reside,completely or partially, within the main memory 914, within the staticmemory 916, within machine-readable medium 920 within the storage unit918, within at least one of the processors 904 (e.g., within theProcessor's cache memory), or any suitable combination thereof, duringexecution thereof by the machine 900.

The I/O components 902 may include a wide variety of components toreceive input, provide output, produce output, transmit information,exchange information, capture measurements, and so on. The specific I/Ocomponents 902 that are included in a particular machine will depend onthe type of machine. For example, portable machines such as mobilephones may include a touch input device or other such input mechanisms,while a headless server machine will likely not include such a touchinput device. It will be appreciated that the I/O components 902 mayinclude many other components that are not shown in FIG. 9 . In variousexamples, the components 902 may include user output components 926 anduser input components 928. The user output components 926 may includevisual components (e.g., a display such as a plasma display panel (PDP),a light-emitting diode (LED) display, a liquid crystal display (LCD), aprojector, or a cathode ray tube (CRT)), acoustic components (e.g.,speakers), haptic components (e.g., a vibratory motor, resistancemechanisms), other signal generators, and so forth. The user inputcomponents 928 may include alphanumeric input components (e.g., akeyboard, a touch screen configured to receive alphanumeric input, aphoto-optical keyboard, or other alphanumeric input components),point-based input components (e.g., a mouse, a touchpad, a trackball, ajoystick, a motion sensor, or another pointing instrument), tactileinput components (e.g., a physical button, a touch screen that provideslocation and force of touches or touch gestures, or other tactile inputcomponents), audio input components (e.g., a microphone), and the like.

In further examples, the I/O components 902 may include biometriccomponents 930, motion components 932, environmental components 934, orposition components 936, among a wide array of other components. Forexample, the biometric components 930 include components to detectexpressions (e.g., hand expressions, facial expressions, vocalexpressions, body gestures, or eye-tracking), measure biosignals (e.g.,blood pressure, heart rate, body temperature, perspiration, or brainwaves), identify a person (e.g., voice identification, retinalidentification, facial identification, fingerprint identification, orelectroencephalogram-based identification), and the like. The motioncomponents 932 include acceleration sensor components accelerometer),gravitation sensor components, rotation sensor components (e.g.,gyroscope).

The environmental components 934 include, for example, one or cameras(with still image/photograph and video capabilities), illuminationsensor components (e.g., photometer), temperature sensor components(e.g., one or more thermometers that detect ambient temperature),humidity sensor components, pressure sensor components (e.g.,barometer), acoustic sensor components (e.g., one or more microphonesthat detect background noise), proximity sensor components (e.g.,infrared sensors that detect nearby objects), gas sensors (e.g., gasdetection sensors to detection concentrations of hazardous gases forsafety or to measure pollutants in the atmosphere), or other componentsthat may provide indications, measurements, or signals corresponding toa surrounding physical environment.

With respect to cameras, the client device 102 may have a camera systemcomprising, for example, front cameras on a front surface of the clientdevice 102 and rear cameras on a rear surface of the client device 102.The front cameras may, for example, be used to capture still images andvideo of a user of the client device 102 (e.g., “selfies”), which maythen be augmented with augmentation data (e.g., filters) describedabove. The rear cameras may, for example, be used to capture stillimages and videos in a more traditional camera mode, with these imagessimilarly being augmented with augmentation data. In addition to frontand rear cameras, the client device 102 may also include a 360° camerafor capturing 360° photographs and videos.

Further, the camera system of a client device 102 may include dual rearcameras (e.g., a primary camera as well as a depth-sensing camera), oreven triple, quad or penta rear camera configurations on the front andrear sides of the client device 102. These multiple cameras systems mayinclude a wide camera, an ultra-wide camera, a telephoto camera, a macrocamera and a depth sensor, for example.

The position components 936 include location sensor components (e.g., aGPS receiver component), altitude sensor components (e.g., altimeters orbarometers that detect air pressure from which altitude may be derived),orientation sensor components (e.g., magnetometers), and the like.

Communication may be implemented using a wide variety of technologies.The I/O components 902 further include communication components 938operable to couple the machine 900 to a network 922 or devices 924 viarespective coupling or connections. For example, the communicationcomponents 938 may include a network interface Component or anothersuitable device to interface with the network 922. In further examples,the communication components 938 may include wired communicationcomponents, wireless communication components, cellular communicationcomponents, Near Field Communication (NFC) components, Bluetooth®components (e.g., Bluetooth® Low Energy), Wi-Fi® components, and othercommunication components to provide communication via other modalities.The devices 924 may be another machine or any of a wide variety ofperipheral devices (e.g., a peripheral device coupled via a USB).

Moreover, the communication components 938 may detect identifiers orinclude components operable to detect identifiers. For example, thecommunication components 938 may include Radio Frequency Identification(RFID) tag reader components, NFC smart tag detection components,optical reader components (e.g., an optical sensor to detectone-dimensional bar codes such as Universal Product Code (UPC) bar code,multi-dimensional bar codes such as Quick Response (QR) code, Azteccode, Data Matrix, Dataglyph, MaxiCode, PDF417, Ultra Code, UCC RSS-2Dbar code, and other optical codes), or acoustic detection componentsmicrophones to identify tagged audio signals). In addition, a variety ofinformation may be derived via the communication components 938, such aslocation via Internet Protocol (IP) geolocation, location via Wi-Fi®signal triangulation, location via detecting an NFC beacon signal thatmay indicate a particular location, and so forth.

The various memories (e.g., main memory 914, static memory 916, andmemory of the processors 904) and storage unit 918 may store one or moresets of instructions and data structures (e.g., software) embodying orused by any one or more of the methodologies or functions describedherein. These instructions (e.g., the instructions 910), when executedby processors 904, cause various operations to implement the disclosedexamples.

The instructions 910 may be transmitted or received over the network922, using a transmission medium, via a network interface device (e.g.,a network interface component included in the communication components938) and using any one of several well-known transfer protocols (e.g.,hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP)). Similarly, the instructions 910 maybe transmitted or received using a transmission medium via a coupling(e.g., a peer-to-peer coupling) to the devices 924.

FIG. 10 is a block diagram 1000 illustrating a software architecture1004, which can be installed on any one or more of the devices describedherein. The software architecture 1004 is supported by hardware such asa machine 1002 that includes processors 1020, memory 1026, and I/Ocomponents 1038. In this example, the software architecture 1004 can beconceptualized as a stack of layers, where each layer provides aparticular functionality. The software architecture 1004 includes layerssuch as an operating system 1012, libraries 1010, frameworks 1008, andapplications 1006. Operationally, the applications 1006 invoke API calls1050 through the software stack and receive messages 1052 in response tothe API calls 1050.

The operating system 1012 manages hardware resources and provides commonservices. The operating system 1012 includes, for example, a kernel1014, services 1016, and drivers 1022. The kernel 1014 acts as anabstraction layer between the hardware and the other software layers.For example, the kernel 1014 provides memory management, processormanagement (e.g., scheduling), component management, networking, andsecurity settings, among other functionality. The services 1016 canprovide other common services for the other software layers. The drivers1022 are responsible for controlling or interfacing with the underlyinghardware. For instance, the drivers 1022 can include display drivers,camera drivers, BLUETOOTH® or BLUETOOTH® Low Energy drivers, flashmemory drivers, serial communication drivers (e.g., USB drivers), WI-FI®drivers, audio drivers, power management drivers, and so forth.

The libraries 1010 provide a common low-level infrastructure used by theapplications 1006. The libraries 1010 can include system libraries 1018(e.g., C standard library) that provide functions such as memoryallocation functions, string manipulation functions, mathematicfunctions, and the like. In addition, the libraries 1010 can include APIlibraries 1024 such as media libraries (e.g., libraries to supportpresentation and manipulation of various media formats such as MovingPicture Experts Group-4 (MPEG4), Advanced Video Coding (H.264 or AVC),Moving Picture Experts Group Layer-3 (MP3), Advanced Audio Coding (AAC),Adaptive Multi-Rate (AMR) audio codec, Joint Photographic Experts Group(JPEG or JPG), or Portable Network Graphics (PNG)), graphics libraries(e.g., an OpenGL framework used to render in two dimensions (2D) andthree dimensions (3D) in a graphic content on a display), databaselibraries (e.g., SQLite to provide various relational databasefunctions), web libraries (e.g., WebKit to provide web browsingfunctionality), and the like. The libraries 1010 can also include a widevariety of other libraries 1028 to provide many other APIs to theapplications 1006.

The frameworks 1008 provide a common high-level infrastructure that isused by the applications 1006. For example, the frameworks 1008 providevarious graphical user interface (GUI) functions, high-level resourcemanagement, and high-level location services. The frameworks 1008 canprovide a broad spectrum of other APIs that can be used by theapplications 1006, some of which may be specific to a particularoperating system or platform.

In an example, the applications 1006 may include a home application1036, a contacts application 1030, a browser application 1032, a bookreader application 1034, a location application 1042, a mediaapplication 1044, a messaging application 1046, a game application 1048,and a broad assortment of other applications such as a third-partyapplication 1040. The applications 1006 are programs that executefunctions defined in the programs. Various programming languages can beemployed to create one or more of the applications 1006, structured in avariety of manners, such as object-oriented programming languages (e.g.,Objective-C, Java, or C++) or procedural programming languages (e.g., Cor assembly language). In a specific example, the third-partyapplication 1040 (e.g., an application developed using the ANDROID™ orIOS™ software development kit (SDK) by an entity other than the vendorof the particular platform) may be mobile software running on a mobileoperating system such as IOS™, ANDROID™, WINDOWS® Phone, or anothermobile operating system. In this example, the third-party application1040 can invoke the APT calls 1050 provided by the operating system 1012to facilitate functionality described herein.

Glossary

“Carrier signal” refers to any intangible medium that is capable ofstoring, encoding, or carrying instructions for execution by themachine, and includes digital or analog communications signals or otherintangible media to facilitate communication of such instructions.Instructions may be transmitted or received over a network using atransmission medium via a network interface device.

“Client device” refers to any machine that interfaces to acommunications network to obtain resources from one or more serversystems or other client devices. A client device may be, but is notlimited to, a mobile phone, desktop computer, laptop, portable digitalassistants (PDAs), smartphones, tablets, ultrabooks, netbooks, laptops,multi-processor systems, microprocessor-based or programmable consumerelectronics, game consoles, set-top boxes, or any other communicationdevice that a user may use to access a network.

“Communication network” refers to one or more portions of a network thatmay be an ad hoc network, an intranet, an extranet, a virtual privatenetwork (VPN), a local area network (LAN), a wireless LAN (WLAN), a widearea network (WAN), a wireless WAN (WWAN), a metropolitan area network(MAN), the Internet, a portion of the Internet, a portion of the PublicSwitched Telephone Network (PSTN), a plain old telephone service (POTS)network, a cellular telephone network, a wireless network, a Wi-Fi®network, another type of network, or a combination of two or more suchnetworks. For example, a network or a portion of a network may include awireless or cellular network and the coupling may be a Code DivisionMultiple Access (CDMA) connection, a Global System for Mobilecommunications (GSM) connection, or other types of cellular or wirelesscoupling. In this example, the coupling may implement any of a varietyof types of data transfer technology, such as Single Carrier RadioTransmission Technology (1×RTT), Evolution-Data Optimized (EVDO)technology, General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) technology, EnhancedData rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE) technology, third GenerationPartnership Project (3GPP) including 3G, fourth generation wireless (4G)networks, Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), High SpeedPacket Access (HSPA), Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access(WiMAX), Long Term Evolution (LTE) standard, others defined by variousstandard-setting organizations, other long-range protocols, or otherdata transfer technology.

“Component” refers to a device, physical entity, or logic havingboundaries defined by function or subroutine calls, branch points, APIs,or other technologies that provide for the partitioning ormodularization of particular processing or control functions. Componentsmay be combined via their interfaces with other components to carry outa machine process. A component may be a packaged functional hardwareunit designed for use with other components and a part of a program thatusually performs a particular function of related functions. Componentsmay constitute either software components (e.g., code embodied on amachine-readable medium) or hardware components. A “hardware component”is a tangible unit capable of performing certain operations and may beconfigured or arranged in a certain physical manner. In variousexamples, one or more computer systems (e.g., a standalone computersystem, a client computer system, or a server computer system) or one ormore hardware components of a computer system (e.g., a processor or agroup of processors) may be configured by software (e.g., an applicationor application portion) as a hardware component that operates to performcertain operations as described herein. A hardware component may also beimplemented mechanically, electronically, or any suitable combinationthereof. For example, a hardware component may include dedicatedcircuitry or logic that is permanently configured to perform certainoperations. A hardware component may be a special-purpose processor,such as a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) or an applicationspecific integrated circuit (ASIC). A hardware component may alsoinclude programmable logic or circuitry that is temporarily configuredby software to perform certain operations. For example, a hardwarecomponent may include software executed by a general-purpose processoror other programmable processor. Once configured by such software,hardware components become specific machines (or specific components ofa machine) uniquely tailored to perform the configured functions and areno longer general-purpose processors. It will be appreciated that thedecision to implement a hardware component mechanically, in dedicatedand permanently configured circuitry, or in temporarily configuredcircuitry (e.g., configured by software), may be driven by cost and timeconsiderations. Accordingly, the phrase “hardware component” (or“hardware-implemented component”) should be understood to encompass atangible entity, be that an entity that is physically constructed,permanently configured (e.g., hardwired), or temporarily configured(e.g., programmed) to operate in a certain manner or to perform certainoperations described herein. Considering examples in which hardwarecomponents are temporarily configured (e.g., programmed), each of thehardware components need not be configured or instantiated at any oneinstance in time. For example, where a hardware component comprises ageneral-purpose processor configured by software to become aspecial-purpose processor, the general-purpose processor may beconfigured as respectively different special-purpose processors (e.g.,comprising different hardware components) at different times. Softwareaccordingly configures a particular processor or processors, forexample, to constitute a particular hardware component at one instanceof time and to constitute a different hardware component at a differentinstance of time. Hardware components can provide information to, andreceive information from, other hardware components. Accordingly, thedescribed hardware components may be regarded as being communicativelycoupled. Where multiple hardware components exist contemporaneously,communications may be achieved through signal transmission (e.g., overappropriate circuits and buses) between or among two or more of thehardware components. In examples in which multiple hardware componentsare configured or instantiated at different times, communicationsbetween such hardware components may be achieved, for example, throughthe storage and retrieval of information in memory structures to whichthe multiple hardware components have access. For example, one hardwarecomponent may perform an operation and store the output of thatoperation in a memory device to which it is communicatively coupled. Afurther hardware component may then, at a later time, access the memorydevice to retrieve and process the stored output. Hardware componentsmay also initiate communications with input or output devices, and canoperate on a resource (e.g., a collection of information). The variousoperations of example methods described herein may be performed, atleast partially, by one or more processors that are temporarilyconfigured (e.g., by software) or permanently configured to perform therelevant operations. Whether temporarily or permanently configured, suchprocessors may constitute processor-implemented components that operateto perform one or more operations or functions described herein. As usedherein, “processor-implemented component” refers to a hardware componentimplemented using one or more processors. Similarly, the methodsdescribed herein may be at least partially processor-implemented, with aparticular processor or processors being an example of hardware. Forexample, at least some of the operations of a method may be performed byone or more processors or processor-implemented components. Moreover,the one or more processors may also operate to support performance ofthe relevant operations in a “cloud computing” environment or as a“software as a service” (SaaS). For example, at least some of theoperations may be performed by a group of computers (as examples ofmachines including processors), with these operations being accessiblevia a network (e.g., the Internet) and via one or more appropriateinterfaces (e.g., an API). The performance of certain of the operationsmay be distributed among the processors, not only residing within asingle machine, but deployed across a number of machines. In someexamples, the processors or processor-implemented components may belocated in a single geographic location (e.g., within a homeenvironment, an office environment, or a server farm). In otherexamples, the processors or processor-implemented components may bedistributed across a number of geographic locations.

“Computer-readable storage medium” refers to both machine-storage mediaand transmission media. Thus, the terms include both storagedevices/media and carrier waves/modulated data signals. The terms“machine-readable medium,” “computer-readable medium” and“device-readable medium” mean the same thing and may be usedinterchangeably in this disclosure.

“Machine storage medium” refers to a single or multiple storage devicesand media (e.g., a centralized or distributed database, and associatedcaches and servers) that store executable instructions, routines anddata. The term shall accordingly be taken to include, but not be limitedto, solid-state memories, and optical and magnetic media, includingmemory internal or external to processors. Specific examples ofmachine-storage media, computer-storage media and device-storage mediainclude non-volatile memory, including by way of example semiconductormemory devices, e.g., erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM),electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), FPGA, andflash memory devices; magnetic disks such as internal hard disks andremovable disks; magneto-optical disks; and CD-ROM and DVD-ROM disks Theterms “machine-storage medium,” “device-storage medium,”“computer-storage medium” mean the same thing and may be usedinterchangeably in this disclosure. The terms “machine-storage media,”“computer-storage media,” and “device-storage media” specificallyexclude carrier waves, modulated data signals, and other such media, atleast some of which are covered under the term “signal medium.”

“Non-transitory computer-readable storage medium” refers to a tangiblemedium that is capable of storing, encoding, or carrying theinstructions for execution by a machine.

“Signal medium” refers to any intangible medium that is capable ofstoring, encoding, or carrying the instructions for execution by amachine and includes digital or analog communications signals or otherintangible media to facilitate communication of software or data. Theterm “signal medium” shall be taken to include any form of a modulateddata signal, carrier wave, and so forth. The term “modulated datasignal” means a signal that has one or more of its characteristics setor changed in such a matter as to encode information in the signal. Theterms “transmission medium” and “signal medium” mean the same thing andmay be used interchangeably in this disclosure.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method, comprising: providing, in associationwith designing a room for a virtual conference, an interface for a firstuser to configure an external communication element, the externalcommunication element being user-selectable to contact the first userduring the virtual conference; receiving, via the interface, anindication of first user input by the first user, the first user inputsetting properties for the external communication element includingcontact information of the first user; causing, in association withproviding the virtual conference, display of the external communicationelement within the room; receiving, during the virtual conference, anindication of second user input by a second user attending the virtualconference, the second user input selecting the external communicationelement in order to contact the first user who is not attending thevirtual conference; and providing, based on the properties and inresponse to receiving indication of the second user input, for thesecond user to contact the first user during the virtual conference. 2.The method of claim 1, wherein the contact information comprises a phonenumber of the first user.
 3. The method of claim 2, wherein providingfor the second user to contact the first user comprises sending a textmessage to the first user based on the phone number.
 4. The method ofclaim 3, wherein the text message includes a link for navigating to theroom to participate in the virtual conference.
 5. The method of claim 2,wherein providing for the second user to contact the first usercomprises initiating a phone call with the first user based on the phonenumber.
 6. The method of claim 1, further comprising: storing, prior toproviding the external communication element in the room, the propertiesfor the external communication element in association with the room. 7.The method of claim 1, further comprising: providing, for each of pluralparticipants in the room, display of a participant video element whichcorresponds to the participant and which includes a video feed for theparticipant.
 8. A system comprising: a processor; and a memory storinginstructions that, when executed by the processor, configure theprocessor to perform operations comprising: providing, in associationwith designing a room fora virtual conference, an interface for a firstuser to configure an external communication element, the externalcommunication element being user-selectable to contact the first userduring the virtual conference; receiving, via the interface, anindication of first user input by the first user, the first user inputsetting properties for the external communication element includingcontact information of the first user; causing, in association withproviding the virtual conference, display of the external communicationelement within the room; receiving, during the virtual conference, anindication of second user input by a second user attending the virtualconference, the second user input selecting the external communicationelement in order to contact the first user who is not attending thevirtual conference; and providing, based on the properties and inresponse to receiving indication of the second user input, for thesecond user to contact the first user during the virtual conference. 9.The system of claim 8, wherein the contact information comprises a phonenumber of the first user.
 10. The system of claim 9, wherein providingfor the second user to contact the first user comprises sending a textmessage to the first user based on the phone number.
 11. The system ofclaim 10, wherein the text message includes a link for navigating to theroom to participate in the virtual conference.
 12. The system of claim9, wherein providing for the second user to contact the first usercomprises initiating a phone call with the first user based on the phonenumber.
 13. The system of claim 8, the operations further comprising:storing, prior to providing the external communication element in theroom, the properties for the external communication element inassociation with the room.
 14. The system of claim 8, the operationsfurther comprising: providing, for each of plural participants in theroom, display of a participant video element which corresponds to theparticipant and which includes a video feed for the participant.
 15. Anon-transitory computer-readable storage medium, the computer-readablestorage medium including instructions that when executed by a computer,cause the computer to perform operations comprising: providing, inassociation with designing a room for a virtual conference, an interfacefor a first user to configure an external communication element, theexternal communication element being user-selectable to contact thefirst user during the virtual conference; receiving, via the interface,an indication of first user input by the first user, the first userinput setting properties for the external communication elementincluding contact information of the first user; causing, in associationwith providing the virtual conference, display of the externalcommunication element within the room; receiving, during the virtualconference, an indication of second user input by a second userattending the virtual conference, the second user input selecting theexternal communication element in order to contact the first user who isnot attending the virtual conference; and providing, based on theproperties and in response to receiving indication of the second userinput, for the second user to contact the first user during the virtualconference.
 16. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein thecontact information comprises a phone number of the first user.
 17. Thecomputer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein providing for the seconduser to contact the first user comprises sending a text message to thefirst user based on the phone number.
 18. The computer-readable mediumof claim 17, wherein the text message includes a link for navigating tothe room to participate in the virtual conference.
 19. Thecomputer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein providing for the seconduser to contact the first user comprises initiating a phone call withthe first user based on the phone number.
 20. The computer-readablemedium of claim 15, the operations further comprising: storing, prior toproviding the external communication element in the room, the propertiesfor the external communication element in association with the room.